In the privacy of her estate, the highly respected Lady Katrana Prestor locked herself within her mansion. With a simple wave of her hand, mechanical locks and arcane glyphs were activated, ensuring that her sanctum was immune to all trespassers. She could afford to spend the rest of the afternoon with private matters; the charms she placed on the nobles would keep them deluded for long enough. 

They’d all remember her silent presence as they squabbled over topics she planted into their minds, going over a script prepared months ago. The few untampered guards and observers within the House of Nobles would continue to believe that the body was still arguing over funding and manpower, while Katrana could use her free time to look into more pressing matters.

Or rather, Onyxia, daughter of Deathwing, could use the free time.

Free from prying eyes, the black dragon wearing a human form quickly summoned up a scrying window, and found herself having to reign her temper in. Varian was still in Lordaeron, despite her orchestration to draw him back south. She’d coordinated her ensorceled orcs and bandits and rebels to go loose around the same time, and ensured that every messenger would arrive in the capital city unmolested to fully drive home the impact of the planned disaster.

By all rights, Varian should be on enroute on gryphonback right now, and therefore avoiding any encounter with his younger counterpart from Alterac completely. But instead, not only was Varian still in Lordaeron, but the younger brat had arrived before schedule as well. 

She shouldn’t have left Alterac to its own devices. The boy’s advisors and servants were too competent in getting the kingdom running again. Busy as she was with setting up the ruin of Stormwind and aiding her brother in Blackrock Spire, she could have at least flown over for a quick improvisation, like enthralling the trolls into a frenzy, or just inciting a simple rebellion. Even a failed assassination could have held Kyle back from venturing beyond his kingdom as he investigated the attempt.

Onyxia growled at the lost opportunities, though at least with how blunt and easily riled Varian could be, and Kyle’s belligerent reputation, both rulers at least came to an advantageous misunderstanding. With the way they were sitting at opposite ends of the table and throwing hostile glares, she would have to find a way to exacerbate the matter before they decided to somehow make up, or outside parties decided to interfere.

Hm. Perhaps she could ask Nefarian for some of his discarded projects. Her brother was too engrossed in his experiments, he could use some-

Onyxia startled as her scrying window suddenly winked out of existence. Then she felt the magic reinforcing her mansion vanishing similarly as well.

“Hello there, little one…”

The human visage of Onyxia whirled around, and her legs almost gave way as she saw three elves glaring right at her.

“So cute, so smart, to hide amongst the humans…” came the cold, hollow chuckle of a blue-robed elf who radiated such power that the black dragon immediately knew she was doomed. The glare from the cracked and mercurial Malygos transfixed her with sheer hostility, better than any entangling or paralytic spell ever could.

His two companions were far less humorous, but the similar oppressive presence they exuded further banished the notion of escape.

“Trust the daughter to be just as insidious as the father,” accused a familiar voice from a vague, undefined figure wreathed in green mist, and Onyxia found herself struggling to maintain her focus and consciousness as Ysera, Aspect of Dreams, leveled a glare through closed eyes at her.

There was nothing to be done, not even an attempt of futile resistance. Before she fell into utter darkness, Onyxia felt the smoldering wrath from the third figure - a tanned female elf - burning into her very soul. “A pity we have to be so discreet about this for the sake of the mortals,” Alexstrasza all but snarled. “Sister, would you be gentle with her?”

“That would be entirely dependent on how cooperative this traitor’s spawn decides to be.”

And then the darkness consumed Onyxia. 

And then the darkness grew horrid fangs and dreadfully glowing eyes.

Trapped within her mind, Onyxia wasn’t even granted the luxury of screaming as the horrors tore through her sanity.

*****

It was the first time that Calia experienced such a nervous atmosphere in her home. The princess remembered well the apprehension and fear back when the war was raging and it seemed that the Horde might make a break into the city. She also had felt the highly-strung and awkward air whenever multiple rulers were around to discuss certain matters. King Genn’s participation especially contributed to the sense of danger.

But this, this was very different.

Ever since King Kyle introduced his new guests to her father, the servants were running about terrified, and even the guards were on their highest alert. 

Calia too felt intimidated by the strangers’ presence. They were strange elves who appeared just outside the palace gates unannounced, supposedly to aid on some private matter. There was an air of dominance about them that went beyond royal authority, as if they were beyond such petty concepts as courtesies of royal court. Understandably, everyone present in the throne room was rattled by their presence.

The only one unaffected - perhaps unsurprisingly - was the king of Alterac, who instead just looked nervous and embarrassed as he introduced the red-robed elf leading the strangers as his tutor, the archmage Krasus. It took only a little reading and listening to whispers to discover that the elf was an enigmatic and reclusive figure among the Kirin Tor, yet was highly respected within their ranks. The archmage then formally and eloquently introduced the rest of his friends: 

Valoghan, a laconic, hunched-over elf who was draped in thick blue robes and weary eyes. He seemed almost skittish as he hastily breezed through formalities. Apparently he was also Kyle’s court mage. With the power that exuded off his antsy form, Calia could believe it.

Kalec, a handsome half-elf of maybe around Calia’s age (or the half-elf equivalent of that), who seemed the most humble and simple of the group with his plain blue and white attire. Unlike the others, he did not have such an oppressive air about him, and actually managed to offer the appropriate formalities as he was introduced. If not for how much he and his group put Calia on edge, the princess might have found him highly attractive.

And then there was Valithria, a quiet-looking elf in an exotic green fur dress. She exuded silent strength as she ignored her surroundings and stared aloofly at nothing in particular. Of the group, she seemed the most disinterested, as if her participation here was reluctant at best. 

“While it is a pleasure to be in your highnesses’ presence, urgency bids that we dispense with pleasantries,” Krasus smoothly said, and then turned his attention to Varian. “King Varian, if you’ll permit us a moment of your discretion?”

After her father led them to a room for privacy, that was the last Calia saw of Varian for the next two days. Servants had reported the room to be empty, almost sparking a panic before Kyle casually explained that the elves had taken him for a ‘really private’ meeting elsewhere and promised that Varian would return unharmed.

True to his word, Calia eventually saw the king of Stormwind walking through the halls of the palace, looking paler than she’s ever seen him as he passed her by, but otherwise alright. No further sightings of the elven guests were found. 

Quiet words were exchanged with Kyle, and then Varian announced his urgent departure back to Stormwind to deal with certain matters. “Some…developments require tending to,” he said with uncharacteristic shakiness.

That left Kyle as the sole royal guest of Lordaeron, negotiating one agreement or another with Calia’s father.

Calia found his presence tolerable enough. Like Varian, Kyle did not try to schmooze her whenever she met him. Unlike Varian though, the younger king was far less formal with his courtesies, speaking with Calia and her family like they were common acquaintances rather than royal hosts. Typical of his common upbringing perhaps, but the princess had to admit that it was a change from the usual stuffiness of nobles and courtiers.

It did not lower her wariness against him though, not when her suspicions have yet to be disproven. 

Eventually, Calia found herself virtually alone in the garden one afternoon when Kyle walked in. This was no simple passing by as their previous encounters. The princess found herself raising her wariness as the mage-king headed towards her with some intent.

Her hackles spiked as he stopped to bow formally before her. “Princess Calia.”

“Your highness,” she greeted back, not completely hiding her trepidation. At the edges of her vision, Calia noticed the Lordaeron guards shifting closer.

“I hope you do not mind me being blunt, but I feel that I must inform you that your father, King Terenas, has proposed an offer…”

Calia felt a void open up in her guts even before he finished the sentence.

“...of binding house Menethil and house Daelam together through marriage. That you would be my queen.”

The shuffling of metal around the garden betrayed the guards’ own surprise. The princess could only stare mutely at Kyle for a few seconds, her mind reeling as her suspicions towards his presence here being confirmed in the worst way possible. Another engagement by her father to an inheritor of Alterac. Another clear reminder of Calia’s role in her family as a…a trophy.

“I…see.”

She slowly inhaled and forced herself to be calm. After all, this was to be expected, especially after the earlier shock of being promised to Daval Prestor. This was the fate of noble daughters and princesses, after all. Perhaps Kyle’s eccentric nature wouldn’t mean too bleak a personal life. She should-

“I also feel it prudent to tell you that I rejected the offer.”

Calia’s thoughts froze, and she ended up blinking dumbly at him.

“Please understand that it is not meant as a slight to you in any way.”

“Wh-What? I mean…”

Kyle shrugged lightly, offering what she thought mimicked a comforting smile. “To put it simply, the current politics was not right for such a thing, princess.”

“Oh. I… I see.” Calia couldn’t hide the relief in her reply at all, and the quirk in Kyle’s lips showed that he noticed.

“As honored as I am at such an offer, I cannot deny that drawing the ire of the other kingdoms, as well as the obligations Alterac would be chained to, has outweighed it.”

With her limited education in courtly politics, the princess could only vaguely imagine the implications of such a union. There might be some unfavorable whispers from the Light fearing nobility and common folk at least. What would Arthas, a paladin in training, think about her being wedded to a mage-king?

As she tried to grasp the consequences of such a thing, Kyle bowed once more. “Again, please do not take this as an insult on you in any way. Or against the characters of your family, for that matter. It is just a decision made purely on…uh, objective…benefits for my kingdom.”

Calia nodded, allowing a small smile to form on her lips as Kyle floundered at the end of his sentence and reverted to his more informal self. “I understand, your highness. Please be assured that I do not find any insult in your decision.”

He gave a short nod, though a smirk suddenly flashed across his face. “I hope that with my rejection, you are not left with far worse candidates.”

“So do I,” she easily replied, though with far less humor than him. Being reminded that she could still be wedded to Galen Trollbane or worse, Liam Greymane, was a sobering thought. 

Her father should have pushed for the betrothal to Varian more fervently. Calia would’ve settled for being whisked off to Stormwind under his care. She’d grown to know his character and believed they could have something together.

It was a shame, that.

The princess looked at the young king standing before her. Perhaps she could get along with Kyle too, if he hadn’t rejected the idea. He wasn’t too bad looking and he seemed to be honest enough in his dealings so far. His impropriety wasn’t that rude either, now that she thought about it, and he hadn’t treated her like some prize to be won. Better some eccentricities than darker vices, that’s for sure…

Maybe she could convince him to rethink his decision? Settle for a (relatively) safe option before her father could put worse options upon her?

Something in the way she regarded him must have betrayed her thoughts, because Kyle’s expression suddenly softened to one of surprisingly deep sympathy.

“I also hope that despite all this, we can perhaps become friends?” Kyle offered. “Admittedly, it is more to see how your brother might react to the fact,” came the lighthearted explanation. “Though in exchange, you can use my association as a deterrent against dic- against more…belligerent suitors.”

Calia couldn’t suppress a small giggle from escaping at the lousy attempt at humor, so she nodded instead. “That sounds…fair, your highness.”

“Please feel free to call me Kyle.” He leaned forward for a theatrical, conspiratorial whisper. “Perhaps if we begin a correspondence, your father might be fooled into thinking I might rethink my rejection, allowing you time to…scout for a suitable candidate.”

Another giggle fled Calia’s lips. “That sounds like a good idea, Kyle.”

The mage-king of Alterac stood straight again with a satisfied nod, and offered her a bright, comforting smile. “Good. I’ll promise to keep the letters free from any ensorcellment.”

“And I will refrain from begging you to rethink your decision,” she replied with the same light humor.

Kyle slowly bowed again to signal his departure, and this time Calia was sure only she caught his whispered words. “May you find someone worthy of your love, princess. Know that Alterac will gladly offer sanctuary to you and the lucky man if it ever becomes required.”

He quickly rose, turned and left before Calia could fully process the words. The princess was left watching the back of the young king with more than some confusion.

*****

Upon returning to Stormwind, Varian marched straight to the throne room and summoned his advisors. He ignored news of the tragedy that fell on Lady Katrana Prestor’s estate, and rather than appoint a successor to lead the House of Nobles, Varian immediately declared the suspension of the organization pending a royal investigation into potential corruption.

He knew what he would find, of course. Misallocated funds, missing resources, unappointed officials… All signed off by nobles under Katrana’s subtle influence. Kyle’s mentor and those affiliated with him had already enlightened Varian to it. The king of Stormwind was also acquainted with the true nature of Krasus and his peers, as well as the horrific truth behind Katrana Prestor.

At least he was promised that Katrana, who was really Onyxia, daughter of Deathwing, would no longer be a problem. All Varian had to do was deal with the consequences of her absence as her schemes fell apart and her enthrallment of so many influential people eroded. 

There was still a lot of work to do to keep Stormwind from collapsing under Katrana’s many sabotages. Officials would have to be reassigned and representatives to the House of Nobles retired, simply because Katrana’s beguilement had them damn themselves with evidence of ineptitude or malice. Stormwind’s overexpanded borders would have to be withdrawn to a more manageable state for both the kingdom’s economy as well as its enlisted populace. Wasteful projects and contracts would have to be terminated or negotiated down.

The alternative - revealing Onyxia’s machination to the public - would likely be far worse, sparking a panic among the citizens, while casting a dark stain on Stormwind’s reputation within the Alliance. Not to mention, the dragons had so politely asked that Varian refrain from doing such a thing, or mentioning their involvement at all. He owed them that much at least.

He also owed Kyle for providing such aid in the first place. Aid that, now that Varian thought about it, came without a price, at least not upfront. Yet the king of Stormwind found himself doubting that his Alteraci counterpart offered such assistance simply to hold it above his head in the future. Krasus and Valoghan certainly seemed honest about not being able to figure out Kyle’s ulterior motive over this whole thing beyond because it was the right thing to do.

That being said, Varian also now held a respect for his younger peer, a respect built on a healthy amount of fear. Kyle Daelam held the confidence of dragons, after all, and not only did they trust his words, they also acted on it readily enough. 

Pity the kingdoms that got in his way too much, then. Pity the kings and fools who decided to make an enemy out of him.

And pity Varian, who now was saddled with so much work that couldn’t be dealt with with a simple swing of a sword.